There is a continuing need to decorate containers to make them more attractive. This particularly is the case where the container is available for others to see and use. Containers of this type are used for dispensing many products such as hand soaps that usually are left out on a sink top area. These containers are decorated by a decorative label on the front and/or rear surfaces. This was improved by the additional use of a coordinated design on a film inserted within the container. This latter concept is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,554. However, these decorative containers of the prior art can be improved upon. Such an improvement in container decoration is set out in this application for patent.
The problem that has been presented is how to efficiently mount a three-dimensional design in a container. This can be a container where the contained product is poured from the container or is dispensed from the container by means of a pump dispenser or some other device. This problem is solved by the use of a depending member that has the three-dimensional design decoration attached at a lower part of the member, or which has the three-dimensional design decoration as an integral part of the depending member. The depending member can be a part of the container closure or can be a unit that is supported by an upper ledge of the container and held in place by the closure. If the container is one that has a pump dispenser, the dip tube can be fully or partially surrounded by the depending member or the dip tube can comprise the depending member. In any event, a three-dimensional design, such as an object, can be effectively disposed in a container with this three-dimensional design coordinated with a design on a front and/or rear surface of the container. This enhances the three-dimensional effect of the designs on the container and the object or other three-dimensional design within the container.
The relevant prior art is set out in U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,785 and U.S. Design Pat. Nos. 240,789; 243,817 and 318,794. U.S. Pat. No 4,733,785 discloses a buoyant chamber with advertising material attached to a straw in a container. U.S. Design Pat. Nos. 240,789 and 243,817 disclose objects attached to drinking straws. U.S. Design Pat. No. 318,794 discloses a decorative spiral attached to the pump body of a pump that is a part of a container. However, none of these references discloses a three-dimensional design attached to a depending member of a container, and none disclose such a three-dimensional design also coordinated with designs on the front and/or rear surfaces of the container. Through the use of a three-dimensional design attached to a depending member, and this three-dimensional design coordinated design-wise with designs on one or more of the front and rear surfaces of the container, there is an enhancement of the three-dimensional effect and a container with improved decoration.
The present invention solves the problem of how to increase the three-dimensional decoration of containers. The three-dimensional effect is more pronounced when a three-dimensional design, such as an object, is made a part of the overall decoration. It also solves the problem of how to effectively secure the three-dimensional member in a container.